# 1 - - Printed in the Pilot Tribune May 13, 2003 and the Omaha World Herald on May 12, 2003.

Kenneth “K.J.” Robinson, 17, of Fort Calhoun, died May 8, 2003, in Omaha.

A memorial service will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday, May 14, in Schwertley Hall at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church in Fort Calhoun. Visitation will be from 4 to 8 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home in Fort Calhoun. A private inurnment will be held.

Kenneth James “K.J.” Robinson was born Jan. 22, 1986, in Blair. He had lived in Lincoln, Blair and Omaha.

He was a student at Fort Calhoun High School, where he was a member of VICA, the football and basketball teams, and the school newspaper.

He is survived by his mother and stepfather, Paula and Bill Wakefield of Lincoln, father and stepmother, Scott and Lora Robinson of Fort Calhoun; brother, Tony, Alex, Russell, Adam, and Jordon, sister, Kayann; grandparents, Kenneth and Fran Robinson of Fort Calhoun, Jim McGinnis of Omaha, Don and Patricia Yanke of Ralston, Bill and Ellen Wakefield of Omaha, and Pat Clark of Honey Creek, Iowa.

He was preceded in death by a cousin, Mitchell Robinson, grandmother, June McGinnis, and uncle Mike Cox (Pod).

Memorials suggested to the K.J. Robinson Memorial Scholarship Fund.

Sievers-Sprick Funeral Home is in charge of arrangements.

# 2 - - Published in Pilot-Tribune, May 13, 2003

This long account is taken from the collection in the Notebook of Long Obituaries. The original newspaper article can be found in the Blair Library, Genealogy Room.

(picture & caption) Family and friends of the three boys killed in the May 8 accident remember them with flowers, flags and posters at the scene of the accident in Douglas County.

(2 small pictures: of Bryan Riggs and of K. J. Robinson)

BOYS’ DEATHS STUN FORT CALHOUN

FCHS STUDENTS AMONG 3 KILLED IN ACCIDENT by Stefanie Welch and Melissa Rice

It’s a loss that many are finding difficult to express.

The deaths of Bryan Riggs, 15, and Kenneth “K. J.” Robinson, 17, both students at Fort Calhoun High School, have left family members, classmates, faculty and staff stunned.

The two boys were killed last Thursday, May 8, when the car they were passengers in crashed just south of the Washington/ Douglas county line. The accident also claimed the life of Brian Brooks, 14, of Omaha, and sent two other boys, Joseph S. Fitzgerald, 16, and Tony Wakefield, 15, (Robinson’s half-brother) both of Omaha, to the hospital.

Riggs is being remembered as a very quiet young man. The sophomore was consistently listed on Fort Calhoun High School’s honor rolls.

“He was very quiet, caring, and always wanted to please, and was a hard worker,’ said Kim Szlachetka, Riggs’ sixth grade teacher. “If he would run into me anywhere, he would take time to visit with me. Not just when he was alone, even with other kids. Even in junior high, when it wasn’t ‘cool’ to do it, he would come and give you a hug.”

Riggs worked at Calhoun’s downtown eatery, The Rustic Inn. Joyce Smith, secretary at Fort Calhoun Elementary, often ran into him there.

“On Wednesday nights, Jessica (Smith’s daughter) and I would go to the Rustic Inn to eat. Bryan would always be sitting in our regular booth while taking his supper break at work,” she said. “He would sit there on purpose so that Jessica and I would sit with him.”

Smith went on the describe Riggs as very polite young man.

Her sentiments were echoed by his principal, Don Johnson.

“He was very nice and respectful,” Johnson said. “He had a good group of friends, and a decent sense of humor.”

Riggs was the son of Gene and Pam Riggs of Fort Calhoun. He is also survived by a brother, Kyle; grandmother, Dorothy Riggs of Phoenix; and grandfather, Charles Koukol of Loveland, Colo.

K. J. Robinson was a junior at the high school, and was a member of the school’s football and basketball teams. He was also a member of VICA, and had participated in high school band.

Pioneers football coach Jerry Green described K. J. as someone who

“He took football seriously but not too seriously,” Green said. “He never lost the outlook that it was a game. For football, what we will miss most about him was his practical joking.”

Green said that two of K. J.’s teammates took his football jersey to his grandmother’s house.

“They wanted the family to know that they are thinking of them, and thought it might help to have something of his.” Green also said K. J.’s teammates will be honoring him at the memorial service, slated for Wednesday.

“The guys are wearing their jerseys to the funeral, but will be sitting with their parents,” Green said.

Robinson is survived by his father and stepmother, Scott and Lora Robinson of Fort Calhoun; mother and stepfather, Paula and William Wakefield of Lincoln; brothers and sisters, Russell, Adam and Kayann Robinson; and Tony, Alex and Jordan Wakefield; grandfather, Jim McGinnis of Omaha; and grandparents, Fran and Ken Robinson of Fort Calhoun.

Funeral services for Riggs will be held at 2 p.m. Tuesday, May 13, at Schwertley Hall at St. John the Baptist Catholic Church. Services for Robinson will be held at 10 a.m. Wednesday at Schwertley Hall.

Fort Calhoun School officials said that school will be in session on Tuesday and Wednesday, but that many students and staff will be attending the funerals.

Students will need to have parental permission to attend. Joe Peitzmeier, leader of the school’s crisis team, said he hopes parents will attend the services with their children.

Following Thursday night’s crash, the school had counselors available to work with students that requested help.

“Right now, the mood is somber,” Peitzmeier said Monday morning. “We will continue to offer support. We will be here when (the students) need us.”

The accident happened at about 10 p.m. on Thursday, May 8, about a quarter mile south of the Douglas-Washington County line. The 1999 Toyota Camnry Solara that Fitzgerald was driving was headed north when it left the road, went down a muddy bank and into a stand of trees and bushes. The car cut down two large trees and the back of it came to rest on one of the stumps. The engine and front tires were found about 150 feet away.

None of the five youths was wearing a seat belt and all were thrown from the car. Officials estimate the vehicle was traveling at least 90 mph.

The deaths of two well-known students in a small school district leaves a huge hole in the hearts of the community and those who knew the youngsters.

‘We will miss (K. J.) as a player - at 6-2 and 250 pounds, but as a person, there is so much more,” Green said.

“Words can’t say what a great kid (Riggs) was,” said Szlachetka.

Peitzmeier echoed both sentiments. “It’s too hard to put into words.”

(Pilot-Tribune Editor’s note: An obituary for K. J. Robinson can be found on page 2. Riggs’ family chose not to include an obituary in this newspaper.)